Detection of uneven and irregular tread wear

Abstract

Various embodiments for sensing irregular wear of a tire tread are disclosed. There is provided a tire having: an inner liner layer adjacent to a belt assembly; an undertread located opposite the inner liner adjacent to the belt assembly; and a tread located opposite the belt assembly adjacent the undertread. The tread includes a plurality of tread elements and electrically conductive filaments disposed laterally within the tread. The conductive filament includes a pair of ends extending radially through the undertread and belt assembly to the inner liner and terminating into a corresponding pair of sensor contacts. A sensor adjacent a radially inner side of the inner liner is also included in the tire, the sensor having a pair of electrical contacts in electrical contact with the sensor contacts.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the detection of uneven and irregular tread wear. Background Art

[0002] In the manufacture of pneumatic tires, tires are usually molded on the drum of a tire building machine (referred to as a tire building drum in the art). Numerous tire components are wrapped around the drum in sequence and / or applied to the drum to form a cylindrical tire carcass. The tire carcass is then expanded into a toroidal shape to receive the remaining components of the tire, such as a belt assembly and a rubber tread. The completed toroidal-shaped unvulcanized tire carcass (referred to as a green tire at this stage in the art) is then inserted into a mold or press to form a tread pattern and to cure or vulcanize.

[0003] As tires are used on a vehicle, the rubber in the tread gradually breaks away, causing the tread to become shallow and reducing overall tire performance. When the tread is too shallow, the tire may become unsafe in certain driving conditions. For example, shallow tread reduces traction in wet or icy conditions. Additionally, shallow tread can affect braking distance and the likelihood of a blowout. In addition to causing unsafe driving conditions, tread wear can also indicate other problems with the vehicle. Uneven tread wear on a tire can indicate improper alignment, over-inflation, under-inflation, or potentially a problem with the vehicle's suspension. Summary of the invention

[0004] The present invention provides the following technical solutions:

[0005] 1. A tire, comprising:

[0006] an inner liner adjacent to the belt assembly;

[0007] an undertread located adjacent to the belt assembly opposite the innerliner;

[0008] a tread located adjacent to the undertread opposite the belt package, the tread comprising a plurality of tread elements;

[0009] an electrically conductive filament disposed transversely within the tread, the electrically conductive filament having a pair of ends extending through the undertread and the belt assembly to the innerliner, the pair of ends terminating in a corresponding pair of sensor contacts; and

[0010] A sensor is adjacent the radially inner side of the liner, the sensor having a pair of electrical contacts, each of the pair of electrical contacts being in electrical contact with a corresponding one of the sensor contacts.

[0011] 2. The tire according to claim 1, wherein the conductive filaments are disposed at a wear depth within the tread, so that when the tread is worn to the wear depth, the conductive filaments break.

[0012] 3. The tire according to claim 1, wherein the conductive filaments comprise conductive polymers or carbon fibers.

[0013] 4. The tire according to claim 1, wherein the conductive filaments include metal wires.

[0014] 5. The tire according to claim 4, wherein the conductive filaments are arranged in a wavy pattern to pass through the tread in a lateral direction.

[0015] 6. The tire of claim 1 further comprising a chimney extending from the undertread through at least one of the plurality of tread elements.

[0016] 7. The tire according to claim 1, wherein the sensor is a TPMS sensor.

[0017] 8. A method for manufacturing a tire, the method comprising:

[0018] attaching a conductive filament to an uncured tire carcass, the conductive filament having a pair of ends extending through the uncured tire carcass to the innerliner, the pair of ends terminating in a corresponding pair of sensor contacts;

[0019] layering a cap tread on the uncured tire carcass over the conductive filaments; and

[0020] The uncured tire carcass is cured to produce a cured tire.

[0021] 9. The method of claim 8, wherein attaching the conductive filaments to the uncured tire carcass comprises using an adhesive.

[0022] 10. The method of claim 8, wherein attaching the conductive filaments to the uncured tire carcass comprises sewing the conductive filaments into the uncured tire carcass.

[0023] 11. The method of claim 8, further comprising: attaching a sensor to the inner liner of the cured tire, the sensor having a pair of electrical contacts, each of the pair of electrical contacts being in electrical contact with a corresponding one of the sensor contacts.

[0024] 12. The method according to embodiment 11 further comprises: energizing the sensor so that current flows from the sensor contacts through the conductive filament.

[0025] 13. The method according to Option 8 further includes: attaching a plurality of conductive filaments to an uncured tire carcass, each of the plurality of conductive filaments having a pair of ends extending through the uncured tire carcass to the inner liner, the pair of ends terminating in a corresponding pair of sensor contacts.

[0026] 14. The method of claim 13, further comprising positioning the plurality of conductive filaments at even intervals around the circumference of the uncured tire carcass.

[0027] 15. A device comprising:

[0028] an electrically conductive filament disposed in the tread of the tire at the wear depth, the electrically conductive filament extending transversely across the width of the tread and with a pair of ends extending radially inward through the tire to the innerliner;

[0029] a pair of sensor contacts attached to the conductive filament, each of the pair of sensor contacts being attached to a respective one of the pair of ends of the conductive filament; and

[0030] A sensor is adjacent the radially inner side of the liner, the sensor having a pair of electrical contacts, each of the pair of electrical contacts being in electrical contact with a corresponding one of the sensor contacts.

[0031] 16. An apparatus according to scheme 15, wherein the wear depth corresponds to a predefined minimum tread depth of the tire relative to the outer surface of the tread, so that when the tread is worn to the wear depth, the conductive filament breaks.

[0032] 17. An apparatus according to claim 15, wherein the conductive filaments comprise conductive polymers or carbon fibers.

[0033] 18. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the conductive filaments extend through the tread in a circumferential direction around the tire, extend through the tire in a radial direction, or a combination thereof.

[0034] 19. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the conductive filament comprises a metal wire.

[0035] 20. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the conductive filaments are arranged in a wavy pattern across the tread in a lateral direction. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0036] Many aspects of the present disclosure can be better understood with reference to the following drawings. The components in the drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale, but emphasis is placed on clearly illustrating the principles of the present disclosure. In addition, in the drawings, similar reference numerals designate corresponding parts throughout the several views.

[0037] Figure 1 is a diagram of a vehicle having one or more tires including tread wear sensors according to various embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0038] Figure 2 According to various embodiments of the present disclosure Figure 1 A perspective cross-sectional view of a tire shown in FIG.

[0039] Figure 3A According to various embodiments of the present disclosure Figure 2 An enlarged schematic perspective view of a tire shown in FIG.

[0040] Figure 3B According to various embodiments of the present disclosure Figure 2 A perspective view of a sensor employed in an exemplary embodiment of a tire with a tread wear sensor.

[0041] Figure 4 According to various embodiments of the present disclosure Figure 1 A partial cross-sectional perspective view of a portion of a tire including a tread wear sensor.

[0042] Figure 5 According to various embodiments of the present disclosure Figure 1 A partial cross-sectional perspective view of a portion of a tire including a tread wear sensor and a chimney.

[0043] definition

[0044] “Axial” and “axially” mean lines or directions parallel to the tire's axis of rotation.

[0045] "Axially inward" and "axially inwardly" refer to axial directions towards the axial center of the tire.

[0046] "Axially outward" and "axially outwardly" refer to axial directions away from the axial center of the tire.

[0047] “Bead” means the portion of the tire that includes the annular tensile member that is wrapped by the ply cords and shaped with or without other reinforcing elements (such as flippers, chippers, apex, toe guards, and chafers) to fit the designed rim.

[0048] “Carcass” means the tire structure excluding the belt structure, tread, undertread, and sidewall rubber over the plies, but including the beads.

[0049] “Circumferential” means lines or directions extending along the perimeter of the annular tread surface perpendicular to the axial direction.

[0050] “Innerliner” means the layer or layers of elastomer or other material that form the interior surface of a tubeless tire and contain the inflating fluid within the tire.

[0051] "Transverse" means the axial direction.

[0052] “Lateral Edge” means the lines tangent to the axially outermost tread contact patch or footprint as measured with the tire normally loaded and inflated, such lines being parallel to the equatorial centerplane.

[0053] “Radial” and “radially” mean lines or directions perpendicular to the tire's axis of rotation.

[0054] “Radially inward” and “radially inwardly” refer to radial directions toward the central axis of rotation of the tire.

[0055] “Radially outward” and “radially outwardly” refer to radial directions away from the central axis of rotation of the tire.

[0056] “TPMS” means Tire Pressure Monitoring System, which is an electronic system that measures the internal pressure of a tire and can communicate the pressure to a processor that is mounted on the vehicle and / or in electronic communication with the vehicle's electronic system.

[0057] “Tread element” or “traction element” means a rib or block-like element defined by a shape having adjacent grooves. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0058] It is often desirable to collect electronic data on the wear state of a tire. This data can be transmitted to the vehicle's electronic systems (such as a vehicle stability system and / or a braking system) in order to provide improved control of the vehicle and monitor or track driving behavior. Mechanical tread wear indicators are unable to provide such data to the vehicle's electronic systems.

[0059] In addition, direct tire wear sensors are often difficult to install in a tire. Some direct wear sensors cannot withstand the harsh operating environment of the tire for an extended period of time (such as the recommended life of the tire). Other direct wear sensors cannot maintain an accurate and repeatable indication of tire wear over the recommended life of the tire. Still other tread wear sensors are only able to detect wear in one area of ​​the tread and are unable to detect uneven and / or irregular wear.

[0060] Various examples related to the development of a tread wear sensor for detecting uneven and / or irregular wear in a tire tread are disclosed herein. Conductive filaments can be included in the tread of a tire at the wear depth. Connecting the ends of the conductive filaments to an electroactive sensor allows current to flow through the conductive filaments. When the tread has worn to the wear depth, the conductive filaments will break and the current will stop flowing through the sensor. The interruption of the current will trigger an alarm that the tire needs to be replaced or retreaded. By extending the conductive filaments across the width of the tread, uneven or irregular wear will also cause the conductive filaments to break, thereby tripping the sensor. In addition, the conductive filaments may extend circumferentially around the tread, thereby enhancing the coverage of the tread wear sensor. Reference will now be made in detail to the description of the embodiments as illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein like reference numerals indicate like parts throughout the several views.

[0061] refer to Figure 1 , vehicle 100 is shown having one or more tires 103. Each tire 103 includes a partially embedded tread wear sensor 106. In some embodiments, tread wear sensor 106 is a component of a tire pressure monitoring system (TPMS). In some aspects, each of tires 103 on vehicle 100 includes one or more of tread wear sensors 106. Although vehicle 100 is depicted as a commercial truck, vehicle 100 may include any type of vehicle that employs tires, with a commercial truck being presented as an example. To this end, vehicle 100 may include other vehicles belonging to various categories, such as passenger vehicles, off-road vehicles, etc., where these vehicles include more than Figure 1 A greater or lesser number of tires 103 may be provided.

[0062] Go to Figure 2 , shows a cross-sectional view of a tire 103 according to various embodiments. The tire 103 includes a pair of bead areas 109, each of which is formed with a bead core 113 embedded in the corresponding bead area 109. Each of a pair of sidewalls 116 extends radially outward from the corresponding bead area 109 to a tread 119 that contacts the ground. The tread 119 is formed with a plurality of tread elements or tread blocks 123 and defines a radially outer surface 126. The tire 103 is reinforced by a carcass 129 that extends annularly from one bead area 109 to the other bead area 109. An inner liner 133 is formed on the inner or inner side surface of the carcass 129. The tire 103 is mounted on a flange of a wheel or rim, thereby forming an internal cavity 136.

[0063] According to one embodiment, tread wear sensor 106 is mounted to and partially embedded in tire 103. Tread wear sensor 106 detects wear of tread 119 of tire 103, but may additionally include a pressure sensor to sense inflation pressure within cavity 136 of tire 103, and / or a temperature sensor to sense temperature of tire 103 and / or cavity 136 of tire 103. In some embodiments, tread wear sensor 106 is coupled to a commercially available tire pressure monitoring system (TPMS) module or other sensing unit.

[0064] In some aspects, tread wear sensor 106 includes a processor and memory to store tire identification (ID) information for each specific tire 103. For example, tire ID may include: manufacturing information of tire 103, including tire model; dimensional information, such as rim size, width, and outer diameter; manufacturing location; manufacturing date; tread code including or associated with compound identification; mold code including or associated with tread structure identification; or other information. Tire ID may also include service history or other information to identify specific features and parameters of each tire 103.

[0065] In some embodiments, tread wear sensor 106 further includes an antenna for wirelessly transmitting measurement parameters and tire ID data to a remote processor for analysis, such as a processor integrated into a vehicle electronic control unit and / or a controller area network (CAN) bus associated with vehicle 100.

[0066] Go to Figure 3A , the tread wear sensor 106 may include a conductive filament 139 and a sensor unit 143, which is mounted to the tire 103 using a container 146. Although the container 146 receives the sensor unit 143 and is attached to the inner liner 133 by an adhesive, the sensor unit 143 may also be attached in some other way or may be integrally molded as a part of the inner liner 133 of the tire 103. Preferably, the container 146 is flexible and made of an elastomer or a polymer. The conductive filament 139 is set in the tread 119 at the wear depth. The wear depth is a predetermined distance below the radial outer surface 126 of the tread 119, which predetermined distance may correspond to the minimum recommended tread depth. The conductive filament 139 includes a pair of ends, each of which terminates in a sensor contact. The conductive filament 139 may be a wire, a conductive polymer, a carbon fiber filament, or other conductive material.

[0067] like Figure 3BAs shown in , the sensor unit 143 includes a rigid housing 149 formed with a base 153. A pair of electrical contacts 156 are mounted on the base 153 and extend through the housing 149. The sensor contacts at the ends of the conductive filaments 139 can be attached to the electrical contacts 156 of the sensor unit 143. A continuous circuit is formed by the conductive filaments 139 and the connection of each sensor contact to each corresponding electrical contact 156 of the sensor unit 143. In some embodiments, an elastomeric connector can be positioned between the sensor contacts and the electrical contacts 156 of the conductive filaments 139 to ensure a reliable electrical connection between them over time. Such elastomeric connectors are generally commercially available. Alternatively, an elastomeric connector can be used to electrically connect some other electrical contacts other than the electrical contacts 156 associated with the sensor unit 143 to the sensor contacts. For example, various points on a circuit board constituting a part of the sensor unit 143 can be electrically connected to the sensor contacts by an elastomeric connector. Such an elastomeric connector can be compressed between the various electrical contacts, regardless of the material of the construction of such electrical contacts. For example, the material may include metal, carbon fiber, conductive rubber compositions, or other materials.

[0068] When the conductive filament 139 is attached to the sensor unit 143, current flows through the conductive filament 139. When the tread is worn to the wear depth, the conductive filament 139 is exposed and will break. The current stops flowing through the conductive filament 139, and the tread wear sensor 106 can be configured to trigger an alarm, such as a notification, a warning light, or some other alarm.

[0069] refer to Figure 4 , shows a cross-sectional view of a portion of a tire 103 according to various embodiments. The tire 103 includes a tread 119 that includes a plurality of tread elements 123. The tread 119 is adjacent to a base tread 159 and is positioned radially outward relative to the base tread. The tire 103 includes a carcass 129 and an inner liner 133 along with other components as can be appreciated. The tire may also include a tread wear sensor 106. The tread wear sensor 106 extends through various components of the tire, wherein a sensor unit 143 is attached to the inner liner 133 of the tire 103 and conductive filaments 139 are disposed within the tread 119. In some embodiments, the conductive filaments 139 are arranged in a wavy pattern to provide additional flexibility. In other embodiments, the conductive filaments 139 are arranged in a substantially straight form across the tread 119. Although the conductive filaments 139 are Figure 4 123, it is understood that the conductive filaments 139 may extend through a plurality of tread elements 123. Additionally, although the conductive filaments 139 are shown disposed below the tread element 123, it is understood that the conductive filaments 139 may extend through a plurality of tread elements 123. Figure 4 1. Conductive filaments 139 are shown extending in a lateral direction through tread 119, but it will be appreciated that in some embodiments, conductive filaments 139 extend in a circumferential direction around tire 103 through tread 119.

[0070] Next reference Figure 5 , shows a cross-sectional view of a portion of a tire 103 according to various embodiments. Tire 103 may include a chimney 163 extending from undertread 159 to a radially outer surface 126 of tire 103 defined by tread 119. Chimney 163 includes a chimney outer surface 166 that is generally flush with radially outer surface 126 of tire 103 and the corresponding tread element 123 in which chimney 163 is disposed. Although chimney 163 may be disposed in the radially outer surface 126 of tire 103, chimney 163 may be disposed in the radially outer surface 126 of tire 103. Figure 5 As shown in FIG. 1 , chimney 163 is positioned within a single tread element 123 , but it will be appreciated that chimney 163 may extend through multiple tread elements 123 .

[0071] When the tire 103 is mounted on the vehicle 100, the chimney 163 establishes a conductive path from the conductive undertread 159 to the ground on which the vehicle 100 travels. In this regard, the ground includes all elements on which the vehicle can travel, including pavement, concrete, steel (bridges), dirt, rocks, or any other elements as can be understood. Thus, the term "ground" as contemplated herein refers to electrical grounding and the physical ground on which the vehicle rests. The tire 103 includes a conductive path established using conductive material from the wheel hub of the vehicle 100 through the sidewall 116 to the undertread 159. The chimney 163 completes the circuit by providing a conductive path from the undertread 159 to the terrestrial medium on which the vehicle travels.

[0072] As a given vehicle 100 travels, it typically acquires a static charge relative to the ground. The chimney 163 provides a conductive path through the tread 119 through which such static charge can be discharged to the ground. This prevents a large amount of static charge from accumulating in the vehicle 100 relative to the ground. The lateral position of the chimney 163 may vary depending on the position of the tread elements 123 of a given tire 103. In one embodiment, the chimney 163 is located at a lateral position on the tread 119 so as to maximize the contact between the outer surface of the chimney 163 and the ground. In one embodiment, the chimney 163 may be positioned so that the center of the chimney 163 coincides with the equatorial plane of the tire 103.

[0073] The tire 103 includes a predefined minimum tread depth. When the tire 103 is put into use on the vehicle 100 over time, the tread 119 will wear. The predefined minimum tread depth is the minimum recommended tread depth at which the tire 103 can be put into use. Once the tread 119 wears below the predefined minimum tread depth, the tire 103 should be taken out of use. Therefore, the tread 119 of the tire 103 includes a sacrificial portion that is expected to wear away over time when the tire 103 is in use. The conductive filaments 139 are positioned at a predefined depth relative to the outer surface of the tread elements 123 of the tread 119. In one embodiment, the conductive filaments 139 are positioned within the sacrificial portion of the tread 119 so that when the entire radially outermost portion is worn away, the continuity of the conductive filaments 139 is compromised and detected by the sensor unit 143.

[0074] Thus, the conductive filaments 139 may be positioned at any depth in the tread 119 in order to detect wear of the tread 119 at various heights. In one embodiment, the conductive filaments 139 are positioned relative to a predefined minimum tread depth so that when the conductive filaments 139 have worn away, the tread 119 will have worn to the predefined minimum tread depth. Thus, the sensor unit 143 is able to detect when the tire 103 has reached maximum wear and should be removed from service.

[0075] That is, when the tread 119 wears to the conductive filaments 139, the conductive filaments 139 break, thereby creating a break in the circuit formed by the conductive filaments 139 and each sensor contact with each corresponding sensor unit electrical contact 156. The sensor unit 143 detects the break in the circuit and is capable of wirelessly transmitting a notification that the circuit has been broken and / or that a predefined minimum tread depth has been reached. The notification transmitted by the sensor unit 143 can be sent to a remote processor, such as a processor integrated into a vehicle electronic control unit, a CAN bus, and / or a cloud-based server. Thus, by communicating that the minimum tread depth has been reached, the notification indicates when replacement or retreading of the tire 103 should be performed.

[0076] In this manner, the tire 103 with tread wear sensor 106 indicates tire wear using components mounted within the tire 103, and does not require sensors external to the tire. The tire 103 with tread wear sensor 106 provides a direct wear sensor system for a vehicle tire 103 that includes a structure that is easily mounted in the tire 103, withstands the operating environment of the tire 103, accurately indicates tire wear in a repeatable manner, is capable of detecting irregular tread wear, and is capable of transmitting wear indications to the electronic control system of the vehicle 100.

[0077] The present disclosure also includes a method of determining tire wear using a tread wear sensor 106, and a method of forming a tire having a tread wear sensor 106 for indicating tread depth. Each method includes the steps of: Figures 1 to 5 The steps of the description are shown in FIG.

[0078] For example, a method for manufacturing a tire may include attaching a conductive filament 139 to an uncured tire carcass 129. The conductive filament 139 has a pair of ends extending through the uncured tire carcass 129 to the inner liner 133, the pair of ends terminating in a corresponding pair of sensor contacts. Next, the method may include stacking a tread cap layer on the uncured tire carcass 129 over the conductive filament 139. Finally, the method includes curing the uncured tire carcass 129 to produce a cured tire 103.

[0079] In some embodiments, the method may further include attaching the conductive filaments 139 to the uncured tire carcass 129 using an adhesive. In some embodiments, the conductive filaments 139 are attached to the uncured tire carcass 129 by sewing the conductive filaments 139 into the uncured tire carcass 129.

[0080] The method may further include the step of attaching a sensor to the inner liner 133 of the cured tire 103. The sensor has a pair of electrical contacts 156, each of which is in electrical contact with a corresponding one of the sensor contacts. In some embodiments, the method further includes energizing the sensor so that current flows from the sensor contacts through the conductive filament 139.

[0081] In some embodiments, the method further comprises the step of attaching a plurality of conductive filaments 139 to the uncured tire carcass 129. The method may additionally comprise positioning the plurality of conductive filaments 139 around the circumference of the uncured tire carcass 129.

[0082] It will be appreciated that the structure of the above-described tire 103 with the tread wear sensor 106 may be altered or rearranged, or components or steps known to those skilled in the art may be omitted or added without affecting the overall concept or operation of the various embodiments. For example, a single tread wear sensor 106 may be disposed in the tread 119 of the tire 103, or a plurality of tread wear sensors 106 may be disposed in the tread 119 around the tire 103. In addition, the tread wear sensor 106 may be inserted into the tread element 123 before or after the tire 103 is cured. Furthermore, the tread wear sensor 106 may include a plurality of conductive filaments 139, each having a distal end spaced apart from the other conductive wires, which enables the tread wear sensor 106 to indicate different wear states of the tread 119 without affecting the overall concept or operation of the various embodiments. In such a case, each individual one of such conductive filaments 139 may be placed at various locations on a given tread 119 of the tire 130.

[0083] It will be appreciated that in some embodiments, it is not necessary for at least one conductive filament 139 to reside within the footprint of the tire 103 at any given time. That is, a smaller number of conductive filaments 139 may be employed, in which case a given conductive filament 139 resides within the footprint of the tire 103 as the tire 103 rotates, wherein there is a period of time between when the given conductive filament 139 leaves the footprint and when another conductive filament 139 enters the footprint. In fact, in one embodiment, a given tire 103 may include only a single conductive filament 139.

[0084] In this disclosure, unless expressly stated otherwise, disjunctive language such as the phrase "at least one of X, Y, or Z" should be understood as generally used to indicate that an item, term, etc. may be X, Y, or Z, or any combination thereof (e.g., X, Y, and / or Z), as the context allows. Thus, such disjunctive language is generally not intended to imply that a particular embodiment requires that at least one of X, at least one of Y, or at least one of Z are all present, and should not imply that a particular embodiment requires that at least one of X, at least one of Y, or at least one of Z are all present.

[0085] It should be emphasized that the above-mentioned embodiments of the present disclosure are only possible implementation examples for a clear understanding of the principles of the present disclosure. Many changes and modifications may be made to the above-mentioned embodiments without substantially departing from the spirit and principles of the present disclosure. All these modifications and changes are intended to be included in the scope of the present disclosure and protected by the following claims.

Claims

1. A tire, Features include: an inner liner adjacent to the belt assembly; an undertread located adjacent to the belt assembly opposite the innerliner; a tread located adjacent to the undertread opposite the belt package, the tread comprising a plurality of tread elements; a conductive filament disposed transversely within the tread, the conductive filament having a pair of ends extending through the undertread and the belt assembly to the innerliner, the pair of ends terminating in a corresponding pair of sensor contacts; as well as A sensor is adjacent the radially inner side of the liner, the sensor having a pair of electrical contacts, each of the pair of electrical contacts being in electrical contact with a corresponding one of the sensor contacts.

2. The tire according to claim 1, It is characterized in that The conductive filaments are disposed at a wear depth within the tread such that when the tread is worn to the wear depth, the conductive filaments break.

3. The tire according to claim 1, It is characterized in that The conductive filaments include conductive polymers or carbon fibers.

4. The tire according to claim 1, It is characterized in that The conductive filaments include metal wires.

5. The tire according to claim 4, It is characterized in that The conductive filaments are arranged in a wavy pattern across the tread in a lateral direction.

6. The tire according to claim 1, It is characterized in that Further included is a chimney extending from the undertread through at least one of the plurality of tread elements.

7. The tire according to claim 1, It is characterized in that The sensor is a TPMS sensor.

8. A device, Features include: an electrically conductive filament disposed in the tread of the tire at the wear depth, the electrically conductive filament extending transversely across the width of the tread and with a pair of ends extending radially inward through the tire to the innerliner; a pair of sensor contacts attached to the conductive filament, each of the pair of sensor contacts being attached to a respective one of the pair of ends of the conductive filament; as well as A sensor is adjacent the radially inner side of the liner, the sensor having a pair of electrical contacts, each of the pair of electrical contacts being in electrical contact with a corresponding one of the sensor contacts.

9. The device according to claim 8, It is characterized in that The wear depth corresponds to a predefined minimum tread depth of the tire relative to an outer surface of the tread, such that the conductive filaments break when the tread is worn to the wear depth.

10. The device according to claim 8, It is characterized in that The conductive filaments include conductive polymers or carbon fibers.

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